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DURGA
Durga is an archetype of strength. Her strength is celebrated in its various aspects: as a mother, giver and nurturer of life and as a destroyer in her “Kali” form. However popular culture worships the strength alone. “Dilemma of Durga” is a take on the popular image of Durga with a twist, where she is also vulnerable of her own desires while she delivers from her core strength.
Above: The Dilemma of Durga
Shiva and Vishnu are popular mythical figures one might encounter in temples and places of worship. From the brightly colored calendars with hyper realistic images of gods and goddesses, to the music albums of the 60’s. The religious message is so over bearing that often times, the mind blocks out the message they convey.
The all-powerful Shiva/Nataraaj is portrayed in his cosmic dance of “creation, existence and decimation”. He is dancing amidst a ring of fire on a new born. Then there is Vishnu. All creation originates from the navel of Vishnu while he is quietly reposed on a lotus flower. The point to ponder while observing all of these images are that they are highly dynamic and in keeping with the human condition. In a state of movement, they also remain in a state of repose.
In keeping with the underlying theme of “Icons”, Ganesh is depicted in the following images as a child’s plaything. The “Gingham Ganesh” or the “Ganesh Whoosit” is meant to bring awareness on the distinction of the supreme reality and earthly existence – simply…universally. An unassuming toy form is meant to penetrate the fragmentation and defenses imposed by religion.
In keeping with the underlying theme of “Icons”, Ganesh is depicted in the following images as a child’s plaything. The “Gingham Ganesh” or the “Ganesh Whoosit” are meantto bring awareness on the distinction of the supreme reality and earthly existence – simply…universally. An unassuming toy form is meant to penetrate the fragmentation and defenses imposed by religion.
Significance of the Ganesh Form: Ganesh's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. In his upper right hand Ganesh holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesh's left hand is a gentle implement
to capture all difficulties.
The broken tusk that Ganesh holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest ofcreatures, a mouse.
How Ganesha Got His Head
The story of the birth of this zoomorphic deity, as depicted in the Shiva Purana, goes like this: Once goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy's head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops. Hence his name 'Ganapati'. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture.
Animals have played a vital role in Indian mythology through the ages reflecting the collective unconscious or the “psychic inheritance” of the people. The ink and acrylic works are a representation of the animal symbol that is used to carry powerful messages to our conscious awareness from our core essence, the higher self, as a tool to guide us through this life. These symbols are what Jung has labeled "motifs". This animal "motif", as Carl Jung states, represents our "primitive and instinctual nature ". In Indian mythology the animal motifs are termed “bahon” meaning daemon or the bearer of the essence of each symbol. The words daemon is a Latinized spelling of a word from Greek mythology used to describe “supernatural beings between mortals and gods, such as inferior divinities…” (Plato’s “Symposium”).
The ink and acrylic works include “Mansa”, the fertility goddess who has a cat for a “bahon”. Shiva, a symbol of life and virility, has a bull, Saraswati, symbolizing beauty and learning has a swan, Yama the god of death has the raven, while Narayan symbolizing regeneration, reposes on a snake. It may be also be worth noting that Narayan is represented as a hermaphrodite, both male and female, an embodiment of the union of opposites, which happens to be an important idea in Jung's theory as well. Dharma, the symbol of righteousness and good judgment has the slow moving turtle. These "motifs" as well as others stimulate unconscious knowledge to arise and become conscious common knowledge and form a bridge between what is known and what is unknown. The concept of “bahon” in keeping with Jung’s theory of a symbol is an image that implies something more than its obvious and immediate meaning.
